Coming of Age
by LarsIsDead
Summary: Contains Cocoberry (Shelby/Rachel). Incest, smut. DLDR. It's Rachel's eighteenth birthday. Shelby takes her out of town to celebrate. Guess what happens while they're out? Companion piece to Elektra. Slightly AU (roughly around Season 3).


**Coming of Age**

 **I don't own Glee.**

 **Warning: Contains explicit Cocoberry (Shelby/Rachel). Also strap-on sex. NSFW; DLDR.**

 **Author's rant you probably won't read: So when I was writing this (and rationalizing whether or not it was okay for me to post it) I was asked two things. First, do I have issues (meh, probably) and why is Cocoberry even a thing. I can't speak for other writers for this pairing, but for me personally, the duet for "Poker Face" had a lot to do with it. I think even Idina herself commented on how weird a selection it was for a mother/daughter reunion. There were way too many innuendos for the duet to be that innocent. Plus, after I watched that scene, I googled to see if there were any Shelby/Rachel fanfics out there already and I accidentally stumbled onto some discipline fanfics (Rachel does something outrageously stupid so she can "deserve" some punishment; 9 times out of 10, Shelby will spank her). Given Rachel's age in some of these (mostly older teens) and the absurd level of detail they would go into, (removing Rachel's clothes, the color and pattern of her panties, how red her ass is) I was given the impression there were some very kinky undertones. The cynical side of me wanted to parody that, (hence the spanking scene in _Elektra_ ) plus I didn't care for how cold and authoritarian it made Shelby look or how stupid and unsympathetic it made Rachel seem. Naturally, my stories were the solution to my own problems with what I found. If you've made it this far, sorry, but I really had to get that off my chest. Now that my bitching is over, well, here's a new story.**

Coming of Age

Rachel's eighteenth birthday could not have come soon enough. It marked an occasion both mother and daughter had hoped to spend with each other since their reunion almost two years ago. The pair had been on the road for a good three hours when Shelby pulled over to refuel. Rachel stepped inside the gas station for a quick bathroom break while Shelby took some time to finally stretch her legs. Once the tank had been refilled, she retreated from the biting December wind back into her sedan, welcomed by the warm blast of the AC.

To celebrate the occasion, Shelby booked a hotel in Akron that weekend and had even taken the liberty of pulling Rachel out of school that Friday. Ordinarily, Rachel would have protested for the sake of perfect attendance, but today she didn't care. It was the first birthday she would ever be able to spend with her mother and she wouldn't have traded it for anything in the world. Even Rachel's fathers hadn't balked at seeing their daughter home so early.

Shelby thought back ruefully to her most recent encounter with the Berries a few hours prior. Rachel still had a few things left to pack before they hit the road, so of course Shelby was forced to make a last minute trip to the Berry household. To say Rachel's dads didn't like her was an understatement. Or rather, they resented the fact that she and Rachel had reconnected in the past year. They couldn't begrudge her too much. After all, it was thanks to her they had Rachel in the first place. Still, it was obvious they had no intention of ever seeing her again after Rachel was born. Though Shelby hadn't expected her reunion with Rachel's fathers to be a happy one, she had to admit it could have been a lot less catastrophic.

A few months after the two had reconnected, on the rare occasion that her dads were home for the weekend, Rachel planned to have all three of her parents over for dinner at her dads' house. Shelby had protested at first, but Rachel insisted. Upon seeing Shelby for the first time in over a decade, Hiram and Leroy demanded she leave immediately. Shelby feared the worst after that. As she had expected, Rachel's fathers tried to forbid her from seeing Shelby again, even going so far as to ground Rachel after finding out she took part-time residence with Shelby in their absence. Much to their chagrin, Rachel countered they were barely home anyway, so what did it matter. They paled at her brutal honesty, demanding to know why she was so interested in spending time with Shelby now.

"She's my mother," Rachel had responded simply before turning away.

Things were shaky between the four of them for a while before Rachel's dads reluctantly gave Shelby joint custody. Shelby couldn't have been happier, but the tension was still all too real. It was almost like she was disturbing some family peace that never truly existed to begin with.

The sound of the passenger door opening brought her back to reality. She smiled as Rachel climbed in.

"Ready?"

Rachel hummed an affirmative, warming her palms on the ventilators. Shelby's iPod shuffled to Alanis Morissette's "Ironic." Rachel grinned and reached to dial up the volume. As she did so, out of the corner of her eye, Shelby caught a glimpse of the new watch Rachel's dads had given her that morning. The sight of it turned her mind back to that awkward visit to their house.

Rachel had wandered up to her room to finish packing, leaving Shelby to stand rigidly by the kitchen door fiddling with her phone. Hiram and Leroy had thankfully limited their interactions to terse nods and a disgruntled "how are you," flashing her a hard stare every now and then. Once Rachel had reappeared, her fathers announced they were off on another last minute business trip coupled with a mini vacation to cool off afterwards. They reminded her that her presents were on the coffee table, gave her a quick kiss and shuffled out of the house, effectively leaving their daughter alone on her birthday.

Shelby was devastated. She wasn't sure what disturbed her more: the fact that they were so willing to leave, or how nonchalant Rachel was over the whole thing. It wasn't until they headed for Akron that Shelby found out this had been an ongoing pattern since Rachel was twelve. Shelby was fuming. Rachel didn't bat an eyelash. Then again, Shelby supposed she couldn't blame her. After all, her fathers bought her everything she ever wanted, spoiled her in the arts. How could she complain? Their money made up for their absence.

Rachel glanced over at her mother and frowned. Shelby's face was twisted into a deep scowl, her nostrils flared, gaze focused intently on a scratch on the windshield. The light turned green, but Shelby didn't seem to notice.

"Mommy," she said, nudging her. Shelby jumped at the contact, finally noticing the light change. She swore as the people behind them blew their horn.

"Shit! Sorry," she said, punching the accelerator.

"You okay?" Rachel asked, voice laced with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine, sweetheart," she answered a little too quickly for Rachel's taste. She held out her hand over the console, hoping to stall any forthcoming questions. She really did not want to go into how much she was starting to hate Rachel's fathers. She smiled when she felt her daughter's fingers interlocking with her own. She kissed the back of Rachel's hand, the grin on her daughter's face flushing away her anger. To hell with the Berry men. It was Rachel's day. She'd be damned if those two idiots ruined it for them.

The pair arrived at the Hilton Garden Inn a little after 3:00. Rachel practically raced her mother into the lobby, shooting backward glances and grinning madly at Shelby, urging her to hurry along. Shelby followed at a more reasonable pace, grinning back at her. Her heart always melted at seeing Rachel so excited, even if it was over a mini vacation.

The plan had originally been to fly to New York for a few days, do a little sight-seeing, take Rachel to a few of Shelby's old hangouts. Unfortunately, upcoming show choir and holiday expenses had gotten in the way of that. Rachel, for her part, seemed pleased enough to spend time with her mother no matter where they went. Not once did Shelby hear her complain about the sudden change of plans. If there was one thing Rachel's fathers were grateful to Shelby for, it was that she humbled Rachel more than they ever could.

Rachel, for the life of her, could not suppress the building grin on her face, shooting meaningful looks at her mother the entire time Shelby checked them in. To Shelby's surprise, the lady at the desk found it cute instead of creepy.

"You ladies from out of town? What's the occasion?"

"It's this one's eighteenth," Shelby said, nodding in her daughter's direction.

The lady gushed and wished Rachel a happy birthday, totally oblivious to the fact that Rachel was treating their trip more like a honeymoon than a birthday getaway. They were handed their room keys and told where a few hotel amenities were. Rachel nearly jumped out of her skin at the mention of a pool.

"Ray, we're not going to the pool," Shelby quickly interjected, cuing Rachel's best puppy dog face.

"Mommy…" the girl pouted, nowhere near embarrassed to be seen or heard calling her mother that. She couldn't care less if it made her look silly. It never felt right to call her Mom or anything else, though the name Shelby would occasionally slip. Their relationship was nowhere near that chaste for Shelby to be addressed otherwise. Not to mention, both had to admit there was definitely a kink behind Rachel calling her Mommy. Rachel came off as so innocent no one would have suspected a thing anyway.

"Do you wanna die of hypothermia?" Shelby remarked, raising a motherly eyebrow. She didn't know what Rachel was getting so riled up over. What did she think they were going to do? Fuck in the jacuzzi?

"The pool is indoors, ma'am," the lady pointed out, much to Rachel's satisfaction. Turning on her mother with a smug grin, the girl spun on her heel with an indignant huff and strode off toward the elevators with a light sashay of her hips. Shelby stared after her, resisting the urge to swat her tight, little skirt-clad ass. She hoped and prayed the woman behind the desk didn't notice how she spent a little too much time staring at the girl's swaying backside. She felt a blush creeping up into her cheeks, shared a knowing look with the desk clerk before gathering her luggage and following after her daughter. They stood alone on the ride up, Rachel constantly leaning in for a kiss and Shelby playfully shoving her away with the reminder that anyone could walk in. Once they had made it up to their room, Rachel threw down her bags and flew into Shelby's arms as soon as the door closed after them.

"Think anybody really noticed?" Rachel asked in between hurried kisses.

"Not a chance," Shelby answered, tightening her grip about Rachel's waist, breathing in the girl's sweet scent.

"Hmm. I'm glad we could make it out here," the girl said, nuzzling her face in her mother's neck.

"Me too," she said with a light tap on Rachel's ass, signaling for them to part. "We should probably go ahead and unpack."

"Probably," Rachel agreed, finally pulling away. She kicked off her shoes and bounced over to the bed nearest to the window, her luggage soon forgotten by the door. "Later. I'm gonna pass out."

Shelby watched in disbelief as the girl undressed and crawled under the covers. "Oh, sure," she scoffed, "just leave me to do it all alone. It's not like I was the one who drove all the way out here or anything."

Rachel gave her a lazy smile and shrugged, closing her eyes. Shelby stared back and forth between her and their discarded luggage before giving up. _Fuck it._ She shed her own clothes before climbing in beside Rachel.

A few hours later, they were both up, hopping into the shower, powdering their cheeks, rouging their lips, curling their hair. The thick scent of their perfume hung in the air as Shelby finished applying eyeliner. She watched in the bathroom mirror as Rachel stepped into her dress, smiling as she was called to help her zip up. Rachel was strapping on her heels when her mother appeared in the full length mirror before her. She turned and squealed in surprise. A silky, plum purple dress hugged her womanly form, cutting just below the knees and cupping her full breasts with a tasteful bit of cleavage bared.

"You look amazing," Rachel marveled.

Flattered, Shelby touched a hand to her chest and grinned. "Well, thank you, princess. So do you." She joined Rachel in the mirror, spun her around and swept her hair away from her neck before drawing up the zipper. "Now, for one last touch," she murmured, kissing the nape of her neck for good measure. She held out a small neatly wrapped box and opened it up, revealing a pretty silver necklace. Rachel's birthstone, blue topaz, shone in the center. "I don't know if it matches the watch your dads gave you," she murmured, fastening it around the girl's neck, "but I hope you like it anyway. Happy birthday, sweetheart."

Rachel touched her fingers to her chest, fingering the chain. "I love it. Thank you."

Shelby hugged her from behind, drinking in the full sight of her daughter's slight form as they stood before the mirror, their eerily similar features reflected before her. Rachel stood just a few inches shorter, her sleek black dress accenting her curves, her shoulders bared. She marveled at how much Rachel had developed since they had reconnected. Her hips and bust had filled out into sensual curves, her calves strengthened from stricter dance routines, her legs toned and lengthened. She was growing into womanhood right before Shelby's eyes.

She passed a hand over Rachel's cheek. "Look at you…" she whispered, smoothing Rachel's hair past her shoulders. "Beautiful…"

Rachel turned and beamed up at her, locking her arms around her neck. Shelby's hands slipped down to her waist. "I owe it all to you." She lifted her mouth, joining their lips.

"Mmm, enough, enough," Shelby chuckled lightly, batting Rachel away, not wanting either of them to smear their lipstick. "C'mon, before we're late."

They donned their coats and drove to an upscale Italian restaurant nearby. It was Friday night, so Shelby made sure to book an early enough reservation for them to avoid the dinner rush. Shelby ordered a glass of red wine while Rachel was stuck with a Pepsi, though luckily Shelby let her sneak in a few quick sips when no one was looking. It was her birthday after all. Their orders were taken, Rachel engaging in a game of table footsie while Shelby threw her warning glares across the table. Shelby tried to play it safe as much as possible. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if anyone in the general public suspected that this was more of a date than a simple birthday dinner. The mischievous, seductive gleam in Rachel's eyes she caught from time to time would've been enough to give them away. Once their laughably oblivious waiter left them, Shelby attempted a bit of normalcy with light conversation.

"So," she began, leaning forward on her elbows, "how'd you enjoy your half day at school?"

Rachel laughed and shrugged. "Fine, I guess. I was just ready to get the hell outta there." Indeed, Rachel had spent the early part of her day pining and dreaming of being swarmed in her mother's embrace, Shelby's hot, enticing mouth kissing and nipping at her flesh, hands all over. She was practically chomping at the bit before Shelby came and got her.

"Language, young lady," Shelby chastised lightly, nudging her under the table. She remembered well enough how ravenous Rachel had turned before Shelby's car had even pulled out of the campus parking lot. Shelby quelled her insatiable appetite with a quick kiss before blaring one of their favorite musicals, the two of them belting it out for a good portion of the ride. Nothing distracted Rachel better than an epic diva off.

"You gonna punish me? Right here, out in the open?" Rachel jeered, nudging her back.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Shelby said, knowing damn well the answer would be yes. Rachel's slow graduation into masochism was unnerving even for her sometimes.

Rachel laughed again before shooting cautionary glances over her shoulder. "Do you think we're that obvious?" It had become customary to ask whenever they went out. In the midst of conversation they could get so lost in each other with such damnable oblivion. No matter how careful they tried to be, it seemed inevitable.

"No. As far as anyone's concerned, we're just out having a good time, just like everyone else. We'll be fine."

"Do you think anyone at school suspects anything?"

"I can't imagine they'd have a reason to, but I sure as hell hope not."

They paid special attention to how much they distanced themselves at school. Ever since Shelby had started teaching at McKinley, she and Rachel made sure not to have any classes together, even though that meant forming another rival glee club opposite New Directions. In spite of how much her teammates wanted her to spy on them for leverage, Rachel avoided The Troubletones' rehearsals like the plague. The most they ever interacted on campus was if Rachel needed lunch money.

"How are things at school, by the way?" Shelby asked.

Rachel blinked at the sudden change of subject. "You already know what my grades are, so…"

Shelby smiled knowingly. "Yes, you're doing well. You always have. That's not what I meant. How are things with your friends?" It was no secret to Shelby how much adversity her daughter often faced at McKinley. Some of it Rachel indeed may have brought onto herself, but underneath it all she knew Rachel had always been largely misunderstood.

Rachel shrugged. "Fine, I guess. Mercedes and Kurt are about the same. Santana's finally out of the closet, so she's been a little bit nicer… within reason. Brittney is… well, what can I say? She's just being Brittney." She chuckled lightly before continuing. "Quinn's different though."

Shelby raised an inquisitive brow as she took a sip of wine. "How so?"

"She's just so different now. It's weird. She's _nicer_ now."

"Is that so unusual?" Shelby laughed.

"A little. I don't know. It's just really strange. She's the most bipolar person I think I've ever met. One minute she's trying to sabotage glee, the next she's actually trying to help us compete. One minute she dyes her hair pink and terrorizes people, the next she's blonde and cool all over again. One minute she's slapping me at prom, the next she's hugging me after a duet."

"Well, people can change, sweetheart. Quinn's been through a lot, so it was bound to happen."

"And I get that. Don't get me wrong, it's great that she's being sweet for a change. But it's more than that. She's, like, scary nice now. She's started sitting next to me in glee and at lunch. She jokes around with me, she walks with me to my locker. Christ, she's even asking me to hang out after school."

"Maybe she has a crush on you," Shelby teased as Rachel drank her Pepsi.

Rachel's eyes widened in shock, the straw slipping from between her lips, the liquid dribbling from the corners of her mouth down her chin. Shelby couldn't help but laugh.

Rachel lightly dabbed at her mouth with a black cloth napkin before objecting. "There's no friggin' way! No. Just, no."

Shelby threw up her hands in mock surrender, the grin never leaving her face. "You never know." Her smile faded as she considered something else. "Has anyone else been interested in you lately?"

Rachel frowned. "Interested?"

"You know, asked you out or anything?"

"Finn's asked about trying again. I turned him down."

Shelby nodded, masking her relief as best she could. Truth be told, she didn't hate the poor boy or anything. Apart from his slashing the Vocal Adrenaline kids' tires a year ago, she had nothing against him. Still, she was more than aware of his rocky relationship with her daughter. She didn't look forward to the possibility of Rachel getting hurt again. Nonetheless, there was the nagging feeling that perhaps dealing with another teenage heartache would be far better for Rachel than the Elektra complex phase in the long run. Plus, it didn't hurt that Finn would most likely be a far better match than Puck or Jesse.

"Any particular reason why?" Shelby asked, treading carefully.

"You mean, besides the obvious?" Rachel scoffed, gesturing between the two of them. "Well, he's… he's kind of a moron."

Shelby almost choked on her wine. "Rachel!" she scolded lightly, unable to suppress her laughter.

"He almost ran Mr. Shue over with a golf cart this morning! I mean, I know Puck's probably the one who stole it, but still! He had no business driving it! He's really sweet, but he can be really stupid sometimes too."

"Jesus," Shelby sighed, shaking her head. No wonder Sue had bitched about a missing golf cart that morning. She had even heckled Will over it in the teachers' lounge.

"Any girls by chance?"

"Not that I know of," Rachel answered warily. "Brittney and Santana have each other, Mercedes and Tina have boyfriends, and I'm pretty sure neither Sugar or Quinn are lesbians…" She really didn't like where this was going. Finally, their food arrived. Rachel dug in with gusto, like it was the first meal she'd had in ages, clearly grateful for the distraction. Shelby played along, probing her plate and taking a few bites here and there until she could no longer stand it.

She would have given anything to say that a year and a half had done away with whatever apprehension she had left over this affair. The truth lay bare, staring her in the face every day she woke up next to her daughter. With every growing crease in her skin, every strand of grey hair, she was reminded of just how dangerous this was becoming for both of them. The impermanence, the inevitability of separation would kill Rachel. Just thinking about it made Shelby nauseous with guilt all over again. It was a mistake for her to let it go on for this long. She should have ended it months ago, then Rachel might've had the chance to move on by now. What the hell was she thinking? What sad, pathetic excuses did she have left for herself now?

"You know, Ray," she ventured, "if you did try to start dating again—"

"I really don't wanna do this right now," the girl bit out.

Shelby swallowed hard before trying again. "Rachel, just listen to me for a minute."

"We've talked about this already."

"Rachel, it's okay if you find someone—"

"Can we just drop this, please?" Rachel said sharply, her silverware clattering loudly against her plate. Her voice rose enough to where a few people turned to look at them. Shelby paid them no mind. Her heart wrenched as Rachel choked back a sob.

"Rachel," she said gently, reaching for her hand. Rachel pulled back roughly. She lowered her gaze to her plate, drawing in deep, shaky breaths as she struggled to hold it together.

"It's been almost two years. What else do I have to do to prove that I don't wanna stop? Don't you think if I really wanted to move on I would've done that by now?" Her voice softened, but her tears ran freely now. Shelby tenderly brushed them away. Perhaps it wasn't very fair to bring this up while they were out, on Rachel's birthday of all times.

"Do _you_ wanna stop? Is that why you brought me here? To tell me that?"

"No, sweetheart," Shelby insisted, tears springing to her own eyes. "I could never do that to you. You know that. But I have to be realistic. I'm gonna get older, honey. That's just the reality of it."

"Is that all you think I care about?"

"At this point in time, no you probably wouldn't care. But at the end of the day, you're still young. I don't want you to miss out on meeting other people or any other new and exciting things because of me. I'm just telling you that if you do decide to move on, it'll be okay. I won't be angry or hurt. At the end of the day, I am still your mother and I will always love you and be proud of you."

Rachel, stunned in silence, stared thoughtfully into her food. Her words often fell on deaf ears, Shelby's guilt persisting until Rachel would ultimately pounce on her with such ferocity, determined to show just how much she wanted, _needed_ Shelby in every way possible. Only then would Shelby's anxiety melt away, stalled temporarily. She knew her mother cared for her in the same way, so what was the use in flagellating herself over it? Did she feel she was forcing Rachel into this? Shelby's outstretched palm lay waiting across the table. She took it with a comforting squeeze, taking a few deep breaths to try and pull herself together. She felt a slight tug on her arm, glancing up to see her mother bring their joined hands to her lips. Shelby pressed a kiss to Rachel's knuckles, whispering that everything would be okay. Rachel sniffled and stood to go fix her makeup in the restroom. Shelby let her go, giving her space to cool down. She wiped away a few stray specks of her own fallen mascara before flagging down their waiter.

Rachel finally reappeared, all tidied up and more dignified than before. She finished her meal in silence, satisfied when her mother did the same. After a few moments, when Shelby found the courage to pry again, Rachel fixed her with a determined look.

"I don't care how old you are. It's never gonna happen. Just so you know."

Shelby said nothing, offering only a simple nod. She had put Rachel through enough hell over the subject as it is. Her expression brightened as she spotted their waiter approaching with a slice of cake. The girl's face lit up at the sight of it, all thoughts of their earlier conversation momentarily leaving her head. She beamed with pride as Rachel blew out her candle. "Happy birthday, princess."

Rachel lounged on the bed closest to the window, brushing her hair and waiting while her mother freshened up in the bathroom. Once their makeup had been thoroughly washed off and dresses shed moments before, they decided to relax in front of the TV for a few minutes before crashing. Both knew the night wouldn't really end this way. It never did.

"I can't believe you got us a double-bed room," Rachel said, laughing to herself. Neither of them was going to sleep in the other bed, so Rachel volunteered to use it as a temporary storage unit, carelessly dumping the majority of her clothes there in a pile while Shelby's hung neatly in the closet.

"I thought it would look less suspicious," Shelby replied, wiping away one last smudge of eyeliner she had missed.

"You know mothers and daughters do sleep in the same bed sometimes. I googled it."

"Most mothers and daughters don't fuck each other," Shelby quipped.

Rachel gave a derisive snort. _Touché!_ "You act like someone could actually come in here and catch us."

"They could…"

"They have the 'Do Not Disturb' signs for a reason."

"That's not the point." Shelby rinsed her mouth and flipped off the bathroom light. She pulled on a simple white robe and sauntered over. Rachel crawled to edge of the bed and stood on her knees, wrapping her arms around Shelby's neck.

"I'm just saying you don't have to be so paranoid all the time," she said, resting her chin on her mother's shoulder.

Shelby's arms moved to circle her waist. "I have damn good reason to be," she insisted.

"So does this mean we can't be as loud as we want?"

"Not tonight," Shelby chuckled, silently praying the walls weren't that thin. "Did you have a good birthday, princess?"

"It was amazing. Thank you."

"Sorry we couldn't go to New York this time," she murmured, teasing Rachel's hair. "Maybe for your graduation present—"

"I'm not worried about New York. We could go there anytime. It's just nice to actually spend my birthday with someone for a change."

Shelby winced. She would never forgive Rachel's fathers for being so absent in their daughter's life.

"Plus, I think it's good we got a chance to get away and relax one last time."

Shelby's brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You know… before we ultimately beat each other's asses at Sectionals."

Shelby delivered a rough, playful swat to her backside, Rachel howling with laughter.

"Please don't remind me," Shelby groaned. "I was hoping to forget all about that this weekend." She sighed into Rachel's hair, combing her fingers through her silky brown tresses. "I'm glad you had fun, though."

"Well, it's not over yet, is it?" Rachel asked, pulling back. "I've still got one more present left, don't I?"

Shelby thought for a minute and pursed her lips. "I was hoping you'd forget about that."

Rachel shook her head with an impish grin. "Nope! Did you really bring it?"

Shelby hesitated.

"Where is it?"

She sighed. Rachel definitely wasn't going to let this one go. "Hold on," she said, pulling away.

Rachel squealed in delight as Shelby rummaged through her luggage. She brought over a simple black box, Rachel peering over her shoulder as she opened it. The girl's eyes widened into saucers. She didn't think her mother would come through with it, but clearly she had.

"I can't believe you actually wanted this," Shelby said.

Her words flew right over Rachel's head, the girl's curious gaze fixated on the toy. She had seen plenty of pictures of one online, but never up close before. Out came a smooth, purple silicon dildo with what appeared to be some sort of suction cup at the base. It had a fairly sleek, simplistic design: about seven inches in girth, roughly an inch and a half wide, and the shaft phallic without fully resembling a cock. Not all that impressive, in Shelby's opinion, but Rachel wouldn't have known the difference. Next, she pulled out what looked like some sort of leather underwear with a mess of confusing straps and hoops, the crotch padded with a silver ring in the center.

"Do you know how to use it?"

"It's been a while, but yeah," Shelby said without thinking, easily fitting the suction base into the metal ring.

Rachel nodded before fully processing what her mother had just said. She paused and did a double-take. "Wait… wait, what?!"

Shelby stopped dead in her tracks, her expression resembling that of a deer in highlights. _Shit._ This was not a can of worms she wanted to open right now.

"You've used one of these before?!"

Shelby considered how to answer, knowing how easily Rachel could overreact. "Look, Ray, just calm down…"

"You have! Wait, but if you've been with dudes before, why would you need to use a…" The girl trailed off, Shelby watching with mild amusement as the gears turned in her pretty little head. Finally, Rachel made the connection. "YOU'VE BEEN WITH WOMEN BEFORE?!"

"Oh my god…" Shelby groaned, dropping the dildo to bury her face in her hands. This was _not_ fucking happening right now.

"You have!" Rachel burst, stabbing an accusing finger in her mother's direction.

"You know what? Yes. Yes, I have," Shelby sighed in admission.

"And… you liked it?"

Shelby gave her a strange sideways glance. "Yeah? And?"

Rachel stared in disbelief, scratching her head. "This is literally blowing my mind right now."

"I'm sure," Shelby deadpanned with a roll of her eyes.

"Wait, so does this mean you're gay?"

"Bisexual," she answered quickly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Can we _please_ move on?"

"Well, I'm not trying to be mean or anything. I'm just wondering. Why didn't you say anything before?"

"I'm sorry, Rachel. It's not every day you tell your daughter about your college experiments." She stopped to ponder the validity of her words, given their current circumstance, and laughed mirthlessly. What exactly was conventional about their relationship anymore that they couldn't talk about Shelby's sexuality?

"So it was just a phase?"

"No."

"Did you ever have any girlfriends?"

"A few, yes."

"Were they pretty?"

"I guess. _I_ thought they were."

Rachel felt her face flush with envy. "What did they look like?"

Shelby shot a sideways glance at her, her lips curling into a wry smile. "Jealous, Ray?"

"No!" she answered a little too quickly, making her mother laugh. She scowled before flashing her an indignant look. "I have no reason to be. I don't even know those women."

"Don't worry. They weren't nearly as cute as you are," Shelby grinned, kissing her nose. She picked up the toy again. "Did you really still wanna use this?"

Rachel nodded, crawling behind her and latching onto her neck like a monkey. She gave the purple object a once over and cocked her head to the side. "It's, um, not as big as I was expecting it to be."

"It's your first time. I didn't want you to be in too much pain, so I asked for something a little more _delicate_."

Rachel smiled sweetly at this, swept her hair away from her neck, kissing her way up the exposed skin. "You take such good care of me," she purred into her ear, pressing her breasts into her mother's back. "I love you."

Shelby let her arm drop back to her side, slightly caught off guard by the sudden change of pace, but unable to deny the sensations the girl gave her. "Well, I love you, too, princess," she chuckled lightly, hoping to mask the chills creeping up her spine. She fought to keep her eyes open as Rachel teased her robe open, the tips of her fingers skimming a line just beneath her breasts. She exhaled sharply as Rachel's tongue swirled the outer shell of her ear, her fingers ghosting up and down her sides, sending a warm white rush through her body. She felt her breath catch as Rachel drew her earlobe between her teeth and sucked.

"Don't tease me, little girl," Shelby warned, struggling to regain what little composure she had left under Rachel's touch.

"You gonna punish me this time?" Rachel mocked lightly, her lips puckered against Shelby's neck, voice just barely above a whisper.

 _Boy_ was she _ever!_ To hell with redemption….

A low growl rumbled at the back of Shelby's throat as she whirled around and crashed their lips together in an open-mouthed kiss, Rachel instantly bending to her will. She reached for the hem of the girl's shirt with a practiced hand and tore it off over her head, a cool rush of air toughening her flushed pink nipples. Surprised by Shelby's sudden roughness, Rachel yelped as she was pulled firmly into her mother's lap, the girl's legs locking instantly around her waist. She was silenced by the feel of the woman's tongue and teeth grazing her neck.

Rachel fumbled in between them for the ties of the robe, Shelby never ceasing her ministrations as the garment was slid off her shoulders, leaving her equally bare. Shelby's lips crept lower and lower, Rachel arching her back in surrender as she seized a puckered nipple between her teeth, dragging and sucking it further into her mouth. Rachel let out a low keen wail as she ground her bare sex into her mother's stomach, her clit growing painfully stiff against her navel, an unmistakable heat kindling between her legs. Shelby's hands roamed, squeezing and cherishing every inch of flesh they could find as her hungry mouth worked tirelessly around Rachel's nipple. Rachel acquiesced, clutching her mother's head to her chest, fingers curling into her rich, dark hair.

Without warning, the girl was unceremoniously flipped onto her back, Shelby advancing and devouring her in another fervent, open-mouthed kiss. Before she could react, she felt her mother's hands close around her wrists, pinioning them on either side of her head. Shelby nipped teasingly at her neck, adjusting her legs and hips to where her heated core met Rachel's, their essences mingling. Her hips bucked wildly into her, driven by Rachel's desperate moans, the girl's legs screwing tightly around her waist in turn. She swore as she felt Rachel's throbbing clit connect with her own. Any reservations she may have had before dwindled in the stark silence of the dimly lit room, drowned out by the shared groans of pleasure as mother and daughter came closer and closer together. Her hips slowed deliberately to an agonizing pace as she reveled in her daughter's powerless position, her arms immobilized, her face contorted in anguish at the denial of a swift release. She inched lower, relinquishing hold of Rachel's wrists, dragging her lips as she went until she reached the girl's slick, tight opening.

"You're going to have to put it on at some point," Rachel panted, the rise and fall of her pebbled breasts driving Shelby mad.

"I know," Shelby mused, spreading her wide. "Let me get you ready first," she murmured on the inside of her thigh.

With that, she dipped her head, her breath hot against Rachel's center as she orbited her tongue around her sensitive pearl. Rachel's hips instantly shot up, pressing her eager flesh into her mother's warm, welcoming mouth. Shelby was more than happy to oblige. She flattened her tongue, licking her way up slowly before stroking her way inside, exploring the depths of the girl's small, fleshy channel. Rachel's breathing shallowed, the sounds of her beating heart and of Shelby's wet mouth against her filling her ears. She reached below to run her hands through her mother's hair, simultaneously holding her in place. She heard what resembled a growl from between her legs, the vibrations of Shelby's mouth buzzing against her clit. Her hands were snatched away so roughly she worried she may have done something wrong until Shelby took them into her own with a loving squeeze before pinning them down to her sides. She could have laughed. It was so like Shelby to dominate even in the midst of foreplay. With one final swipe and brush of her tongue, Shelby drew back, face glistening, one of her eyebrows arched suggestively.

"You're wet enough, now," she observed, pressing her thumb firmly into the girl's clit. "Ready?"

Rachel nodded furiously, Shelby chuckling in response. Drying her mouth, she rose to find the toy buried under her discarded robe. She stopped to give it a withering glare, shooting Rachel a sideways glance and shaking her head.

"I still can't believe you wanted this. Out of all the things you could've asked for—"

"On my birthday," Rachel reminded her with a cheeky smile. Her expression softened when she noticed the look of genuine concern in her mother's eyes. "Please? At least this once? If it's that bad we don't have to do it again."

Shelby hesitated and searched deep within herself, staring deeply into her daughter's chocolate brown orbs. Did she really want to break her little girl's heart today of all days? She exhaled sharply before picking up the toy again. "Alright, just give me a minute."

She turned her back to Rachel, silently repeating a calming mantra to herself. She gave the toy one last look before finally stepping into the harness. She adjusted the straps along the sides, surprised at how well it fit since she had first tried it on. She stood upright and examined herself, her lips twitching into a smirk.

God, she felt ridiculous. Years ago, she never spent too much time looking at herself with a strap-on. Back in the day, she'd just throw it on and take the plunge. Sure, she remembered sharing a few laughs here and there with a few girls she'd been with, but things were very different now. She wasn't in her teens or twenties anymore. She sure as hell didn't expect to ever use one on her 18 year old daughter.

She turned and fished through the box for a bottle of lube, popping it open and coating the toy with a liberal amount. She wasn't taking any chances on drying Rachel's vagina out, and there was no denying how tight the girl still was. The most she could take was two fingers, very rarely three.

All Rachel could do was stare in amazement as her mother crawled between her legs, the purple object standing proudly from her pelvis. "Whoa…"

Shelby let out a low chuckle, leaning down and kissing her. She drew back and eyed the girl warily, her voice switching from seductive to motherly in a heartbeat. "If it's too much, you need to tell me. Got it?"

Rachel nodded in understanding. "I trust you."

She took a deep breath before positioning the head at the girl's entrance, slightly edging her hips forward. Rachel's lips parted as the shaft teased her open, slipping in gradually. With a few more slow thrusts, Shelby managed to work her way past her tight little ring, the girl's hands clasped tightly against her bare back. Rachel whimpered initially at the intrusion, the foreign object stretching her beyond what she was used to. Shelby stilled her hips, gauging Rachel's reaction.

"You okay, princess?"

"Yeah," she grunted. "Just feels different."

"It's okay. I'll go slow."

She braced herself, arms on either side of Rachel, rising halfway to her knees. Using her thighs for leverage, she began at a steady pace, burying herself to the hilt before pulling back. It took a few strokes before Rachel could fully adjust to the toy. She gasped as it plunged into her. The sensations it gave her felt vastly different from when Shelby would finger her. It felt cold and stiff compared to Shelby's warm, deft fingers. The material was soft enough, but it couldn't curve and stimulate her the way Shelby's own clever hands could. Still, in spite of how strange it felt in comparison, it somehow managed to feel pleasurable enough with Shelby's powerful hips behind it. She felt herself clench around it as she was filled over and over again. Without even realizing it she wrapped her legs around Shelby's waist, welcoming her further inside. She grasped her palms tightly against her mother's back, leaving fine, red imprints in their wake, calling out Shelby's name as the toy went deeper and deeper, hitting that sweet, delectable spot inside of her.

Fueled by her daughter's intense, needy moans, Shelby picked up the pace, the base of the toy bumping against her clit, motivating her with each empowered thrust. She grunted as Rachel's nails dug into her back, sending a shock straight to her own cunt. She continued to pound into her, pleased with her progress. She worried originally that she wouldn't be able to perform as well as she had years ago. She feared she wouldn't be able to move as fast or with as much flexibility, though judging from Rachel's reactions, she seemed to be doing just fine. A surge of power coursed through her, a fire within her kindling anew as the girl begged and cried beneath her. She smirked in spite of herself. This was starting to feel a lot better than she had expected. It was proving to be one hell of a workout, but she was proud of herself so far. Spurred by the girl's pleasured moans, her feral instincts took over. She began diving into her without mercy, teeth bared against her neck, her apprehension fading away with each invigorating pump of her hips.

She drew back, caught up in the sight of Rachel's breasts bouncing as she slammed into her. She wanted, more than anything, to take one of the girl's luscious, darkened nipples into her mouth, but their current position only allowed her body to bend so far. She balanced herself on one arm to fondle Rachel's left breast, her hips still madly at work. She thought briefly about what it would have been like to have Rachel's hands tethered to the headboard, maybe with her legs thrown over Shelby's shoulders, ankles held firmly in the woman's grasp. The feel of the girl's nails painfully dragging down her spine brought her back to the present. There would definitely be fresh scars and ripe bruises in the morning. But it would all be well worth it, wouldn't it? She circled her hips slowly at a torturous pace, relishing in the girl's choked cries as she pleaded for release. Shelby wouldn't give it to her that easily. She leaned in close to her sweet, little ear, tracing her tongue along the outer shell, flicking it gently over her sensitive lobe.

"Are you Mommy's good girl?" Shelby crooned, thumbing intently over the tip of Rachel's breast.

"Yes," Rachel mewled, so low that Shelby could barely hear her.

"Are you Mommy's good, little girl?" she repeated, pinching the girl's nipple.

"Yes!" Rachel cried out, pain and pleasure becoming one.

"Who do you belong to?"

"You," the girl panted. "Only you."

"I need to hear you fucking say it," Shelby said, low and husky, her possessive grip on Rachel's breast growing tighter.

"I'm yours! All yours!"

Shelby leered. _So much for keeping the noise down…._

With their hips joined together, the dildo still firmly in place, Shelby hooked her hands under Rachel's arms, abruptly flipping them over to where Shelby was on her back. Rachel staggered on top, clearly disoriented. Shelby helped to steady her.

"Sit up," she commanded, her voice practically dripping with unwavering authority, sending a tremor through the girl's pussy.

Rachel obeyed, placing her hands on her mother's chest for stability. She felt Shelby's hands move to her hips, guiding them back and forth. Then, she understood. Her mother wanted her to ride. Eager to please, she rocked her hips forward, Shelby's own hips rising to meet her thrust for thrust. Much to her mother's amusement, Rachel got carried away at first, thrusting at a frenzied motion until Shelby encouraged her to slow down. She knew she needed to finish the girl off quickly. Still, she didn't want to risk the toy slipping out of the harness ring and ruin Rachel's first time entirely. Shelby watched carefully as her daughter rode on, her dark hair curtaining her face, brows furrowed as if in deep concentration, eyes clamped shut.

She could tell from Rachel's slowing down how tired she was quickly becoming. She grimaced, the pain now evident in her own hips and thighs, but she knew they both had a little more stamina left in them. She urged her to continue. "Come on, princess," she beckoned, gripping Rachel's hips for good measure. "That's my good girl… keep going."

Shelby drank in the sight of her sweet baby girl impaling herself over and over again on the toys length, the base of the shaft grinding into her own cunt as Rachel rode on, deep throaty moans escaping her lips. As they moved, her hungry gaze once again fell upon the girl's delicious breasts, rock hard and practically begging to be touched. It was all too much for her. She pulled her down, latched onto her left nipple and sucked it roughly, sending her soaring over the edge. Rachel came down hard with a strangled cry before collapsing heavily on top of her, her sweat glistening body melting into her mother's warm embrace. Shelby gathered her shuddering form close to her chest, kissing the top of her head as they lay spent.

"Such a good girl," she cooed, smoothing Rachel's hair away from her sweaty forehead. She shifted to pull the toy out of her so she could rest more easily against her. "My sweet little girl… Mommy's little princess."

Rachel sighed contentedly, her breath warm against Shelby's neck. The whole thing had gone by a lot smoother than she had expected it to. Her mother had warmed up to the whole experience better than she had expected as well. She doubted she could have asked for anything better. They stayed tangled up in each other's arms for a few long moments, Shelby absentmindedly tracing circular patterns up and down Rachel's spine, Rachel basking in the warmth of her arms, her eyelids fluttering closed. Then, before she could drift off, something came to her. There was still something else she wanted to try for her birthday. She had to be subtle, though. If she asked, there was no way in hell Shelby would let her.

She squirmed around a bit, feigning discomfort at the strap-on still very much in the way. Shelby moved to take it off with Rachel's help, grateful to be free from the straps digging into her skin. Once it was off, Rachel snuggled up against her mother's chest, the gentle thrumming of Shelby's heart resounding in her ear as she considered her next move. With her head nestled in the valley between her mother's breasts, she exhaled deliberately onto her right nipple, the effect almost instantaneous. She felt Shelby shudder beneath her, and smiled to herself. In one swift, bold move, she cupped Shelby's generous orb and latched on. Shelby's breath hitched in her throat, her nipple hardening in Rachel's mouth.

Normally, she would have shoved Rachel away for doing something like this. She was never fond of letting Rachel touch her, though every once in a while, she would let her get away with some light petting. Still, all things considered, she figured rejecting Rachel's light advances wouldn't have been entirely fair, given the occasion. Thus, she decided against fighting her off for now, instead cradling the girl's head to her chest as she suckled. Rachel, sensing her newfound freedom, began tracing her tongue in hypnotic circles around Shelby's rouged nipple. She switched over to her other breast and sucked vigorously, alternating between kneading it lightly and squeezing just hard enough to elicit deep moans from her mother's mouth. She dragged each wet nipple up between her teeth, marveling at the full weight of Shelby's shapely breasts as they snapped back in place upon release.

"Oh, baby," Shelby gasped, her fingers knotted through Rachel's hair. "You really don't have to do this."

Rachel smirked around her nipple, ignoring her protests and cherishing the feel and taste of her sensitive flesh.

Her mother's breasts, pale and succulent, were considerably larger than her own, full C cups that could have easily spilled over into a D cup. Her nipples were long and taut, a delicious shade of rosy pink. She had, of course, seen her mother naked plenty of times, felt her skin pressed tightly against her own, but she never paid close enough attention to her body. Shelby usually focused so much on pleasuring Rachel that she diverted attention away from herself, perhaps purposefully so. Looking back, she couldn't believe she never took the time to appreciate her mother like this. Then again, Shelby never gave her the opportunity to do so. Now that she had full liberty to, she never wanted to stop. God, she was beautiful!

She regarded her mother's tense form through hooded eyes. Shelby was biting her lip, her cheek pressed into her pillow. She refused to look at Rachel, a familiar heat unwillingly brewing between her legs as the girl tended to her breasts. She had never felt so vulnerable in front of her daughter. Satisfied, Rachel finally popped off her mother's breast, laving her tongue over her swollen, dusky nipples one last time before drawing back. Testing the waters, she began inching her way down her body, planting wet kisses as she went. When her mouth reached the area just above her mother's pubic bone, Shelby's eyes shot open.

"Ray… Rachel, what are you doing?"

"Shh. Just relax."

"Rachel." She started to sit up before Rachel grabbed a hold of her thighs.

"Just this once?" she pleaded, meeting her gaze. "Come on, I'll go slow," she said, giving her the same assurance Shelby had given her before.

She leaned back on her elbows, staring deeply into her pleading dark eyes. She was not comfortable with this at all. She could have told her no, shattered Rachel's hopes altogether. Hell, she could have sent Rachel to sleep in the other bed for the night, as cruel as that would have been. Why did it have to be her of all people? Why couldn't it have been one of the girls from glee, as painful as that was for her to imagine? She was about ready to let the girl down easy until she thought she saw tears prick her eyes, stealing her resolve. Her heart softened.

"One time. That's it. Never again," she stated firmly, Rachel's face brightening instantly. "Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," she said with a mock salute.

Shelby rolled her eyes, relaxing into her pillow once again.

Satisfied, Rachel settled in the crook between Shelby's legs, her palms flat against the inside of her thighs. Sensing her mother's discomfort, she planted soothing kisses along the path from her knee to the apex of her thighs. Shelby's spine tingled as she neared closer to her nether regions. She fought to keep her legs open; she wouldn't dare close them around Rachel's head. It wasn't long before Rachel reached her destination.

She examined her mother's pussy with pure longing as Shelby lay splayed before her, dripping, waiting. She ogled her pink flesh with blatant curiosity. Her inner flesh was sculpted very differently from Rachel's. In fact, it appeared more developed, more _womanly_. She was nowhere near as tiny or tight as Rachel was. Her labia carried far more definition, her clit much thicker, throbbing with need. Rachel briefly wondered if the differences could be attributed to her age. She brushed her fingertips over the smooth texture of her pubic hair, closely trimmed, a similar hue to Rachel's own dark curls, albeit with a different pattern. Rachel could appreciate the differences between them. Shelby was still very beautiful, even there. She licked her lips with anticipation, her breath warm against Shelby's center. She was definitely going to enjoy this.

Without wasting another minute, she leaned in, her tongue darting out for an experimental lick. Her mother's arousal coated her lips and chin. She drew back and licked her lips, surprised by the taste. Not bad for her first time, she supposed. She really had no idea what to expect. The closest she had ever come to tasting pussy before was when Shelby would kiss her directly after eating her out.

Shelby froze as Rachel's tongue connected with her engorged clit. She lay stiffly, neither refusing nor encouraging Rachel's movements. She balled her fists into the sheets as Rachel's tongue nudged against her opening, dividing her inner lips. She very nearly lost it when Rachel sucked her clit between her teeth and nibbled gently.

Rachel mimicked the motions her mother typically used on her, swirling the tip of her tongue around her sensitive jewel before directing her attention to her swollen inner lips, sucking them into her mouth with a hunger she never knew before. She paid close attention to the sounds her mother made above her, applying more suction to her pretty, pink flesh. Shelby fought to suppress a moan, writhing uncontrollably, her head thrashing madly from side to side. She wanted Rachel to stop more than anything. She had never in a million years wanted to see her baby girl in this position. Admittedly, Shelby was the more dominant one in their relationship, but she never would have pushed her into doing something like this. She merely took pleasure in Rachel submitting, not serving. But here, under the spell of Rachel's inexperienced, but fiercely determined tongue, her body betrayed her.

"Oh, god," she grunted, legs writhing, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps. "Rachel… _fuck_!"

She felt her clit twitch beneath Rachel's tongue. She hadn't been eaten out since… _fuck!_ —she couldn't even remember! And now here she was, her sweet baby girl's head bobbing furiously between her legs, mouth vigorously at work. Christ, what universe was she even in right now?! She tried her damndest not to close her legs around the girl's neck.

Rachel listened intently as Shelby escalated to deep, guttural moans, encouraging her without meaning to. If Shelby was making noises like this, she figured she must have been doing something right. As she worked, her mouth grew tired and for a brief moment she wondered how Shelby could stand to do this so often for her. Her jaw would, no doubt, be sore by the time she finished. She didn't care. With each increasing stroke of her tongue, Shelby came close to the edge. She watched as her mother struggled to regain control, her head thrown back, hair spilled out in a riled mess. She was there, Rachel observed, almost there, just simply refusing to let go. Without thinking, she plunged two fingers into her mother's sopping cunt, wrenching them in a corkscrew motion over and over, her tongue still traveling madly around her swollen clit. With that, Shelby was defeated.

She spasmed against her will, back arched, mouth opening into a scream as she spewed copiously into her daughter's waiting mouth. Rachel eagerly drank it all in, cleaning her up as Shelby had done so many times for her in the past. She rose from between her mother's legs, worked her jaw around a couple of times to ease away the growing soreness. She smiled and performed a little happy dance in her head. She had just gone down on her mother. And Shelby had enjoyed it. She should know. The evidence was all over her face. God, she couldn't believe it!

 _Happy fuckin' birthday to me!_

She crept up her mother's prone form, the smile never leaving her face. Shelby lay motionless, perfectly silent. Rachel found it strange at first. She chalked it up to Shelby simply basking in the afterglow until she came face to face with her and panicked. Shelby had blacked out! How was that even possible?! Had it been _that_ long since she'd last had an orgasm? She applied a few quick, frantic slaps to her mother's face, shaking her until she heard a few unintelligible moans escape Shelby's lips. She laughed in disbelief. She had actually made her mother come so hard she passed out. She couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing.

As Shelby came to, her vision blurred slowly into focus. Rachel was hovering over her, her face lit with triumph.

"I win," she whispered with a sultry smile.

Shelby didn't understand at first. It took her a few seconds to notice how wet her daughter's mouth was. Then, she remembered. She stared back in horror. Her little girl had just gone down on her. Something she swore would _never_ happen. And she had enjoyed it. She should know. The evidence now stained her daughter's perfect face.

"Damn it, Rachel!" she snapped, gripping her by the chin and hastily wiping away the essence smeared all over Rachel's nose and mouth.

Rachel laughed. "What? It's fine. I'm pretty sure I've done the same to you a hundred times…"

"That's not the point," Shelby said with a disapproving glare, her post-coital bliss fading away. "I can't believe I agreed to this."

"Calm down. I promise I'm good. I liked it," Rachel comforted, cuddling into her mother's side, tucking her head under her chin.

"You'll pay for that, little girl," she warned, draping Rachel's leg over her waist in spite of herself.

Rachel smiled. "I look forward to it."

"What am I gonna do with you?"

"I can think of a number of things."

Shelby shook her head. God, this kid could be such a fucking tease….

"Rachel, where did you learn to… do that?"

The girl beamed and snuggled further into her. "What can I say? I learned it from the very best."

"I'm serious."

She shrugged lightly. "Google. It didn't really help me, though. I mostly just paid attention to what you were doing to me earlier."

Shelby smirked. She would have killed to see the results that popped up on Rachel's search.

"We really shouldn't do that again, though, Ray," she said on a more serious note.

"Why not? Was I that bad?"

"No. Not bad at all, actually." She spotted a familiar coy smile on Rachel's face and gave her ass a reproachful squeeze. "Shut up. I mean it, Rachel. Once is enough."

"I don't know what you're freaking out about. It's not like you haven't done the same thing to me before. Besides, as far as I can tell, you liked it."

"That's not the point," she repeated through her teeth.

Rachel yawned. "Whatever. It's my birthday. I got everything I wanted. And hey, if going down on you isn't a sign that I don't wanna stop doing this, then I don't know what is…"

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that."

"Hey, I don't care how old you are. You're beautiful and I love you. Get used to it." She craned her neck upward and captured Shelby's lips in another heartfelt kiss.

Shelby didn't argue this time. It had been a long enough day and she was tired as hell. Before she could drift off, Rachel sat up fully, clutching the sheets to her chest for warmth. "I—I want you to go to New York with me."

Shelby yawned, rubbing at her eyes. "I mean… sure. Like I said, we can always go for your graduation present."

"No," Rachel said quickly before cutting off, her bottom lip seized between her teeth. "I mean, I want you to come with me when I leave Lima, go to NYADA…"

Shelby propped herself up on her elbow, staring thoughtfully back at her. "You want your mother to follow you _all_ the way out there?"

"Yeah," Rachel insisted, like it was the most obvious answer in the world. "I want you out there. I _need_ you out there with me. I don't want to be out in a strange city all by myself."

Shelby grinned up at her, tucking a few stray hairs behind her ear. "It's not so scary once you get used to it. Plus after everything that's happened over the past couple of years, I think it's safe to say you adapt to strange situations pretty well. You'll have fun, meet some new people."

She sighed stubbornly, noting how her mother put extra emphasis on her 'meeting new people.' "I'm not going to New York to move on, Shelby. I don't _want_ to move on. As long as you're here, I'm not going to want anyone else for a long, long time. Our relationship isn't conventional and it's probably never going to be. You didn't raise me!" She laughed mirthlessly before continuing. "I don't wanna stop this and I don't think you do either. I'm perfectly okay with the way things are between us. You're not hurting me or holding me back. So please, don't ruin this. Just come to New York and be happy with me."

Shelby stayed silent for a long time, her mind wandering back to that first night, solidifying their status as lovers when their foundation as mother and daughter had just barely blossomed. She didn't know when or if Rachel would ever move on and for now she didn't care. She would be there until that day came, always with open arms and her unwavering devotion. Only then would she have the strength to let go. Life would take its course for both of them.

"I'll have to find another coaching job," she said finally, laughing when Rachel burrowed into her once again.

"Or you could end up on stage again?" Rachel added hopefully.

"Doubtful," Shelby scoffed. "I'm not getting any younger."

"Well, it's a good thing you age well," Rachel said brightly.

"I'm glad you think so," she said with a wan smile. She ran her fingers idly through Rachel's hair, closing her eyes. She was about ready to nod off when Rachel spoke again.

"You never told me what your other girlfriends looked like."

"Are we really still on this?"

"Well, we never finished-"

"You're obsessed over some girls I slept with over a decade ago?"

"I am NOT obsessed!"

"Sure," Shelby grumbled. "Go to sleep…"

"Why don't you wanna tell me?"

"Why do you wanna know?"

"I'm just curious, that's all."

Shelby sighed, half asleep. "There was one that stood out. A cute, little blonde. I met her in New York."

"Go on," Rachel pressed when Shelby drifted off.

Shelby groaned, playing with Rachel's ear as she spoke. "She was really short. Shorter than you, actually."

"Uh huh?"

"Really pretty eyes, cute little nose. Long legs, she wore cut off shorts a lot."

"Mmhmm?"

"She dropped out of Lima apparently. Small world, I guess. I have no idea how she was even able to make it into school. We took a couple of classes together. She could sing really well. We had a few duets together. She had kind of high voice. You'd know it anywhere if you'd met her."

"How long were you together?"

"Eh… about two years."

"What was her name?"

Shelby smirked. "April."

"April… pretty."

"Are we done now?"

Rachel shrugged. "I guess."

"Will you go to sleep now?"

"Sure," she sighed, flipping over to where her back faced Shelby, the woman's arm instinctively snaking around her waist. Shelby was ready to drift off again until she heard the sheets rustle, Rachel fidgeting uncomfortably beside her.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. Just feel sore," the girl winced, clutching her stomach.

"Poor baby, I'm sorry. It'll feel that way your first time," Shelby soothed, kissing the top of her head, rubbing affectionate circles into Rachel's tummy. "It'll go away. I promise."

Rachel turned slightly and peered up at her with innocent eyes. "My mouth is kinda sore, too," she said, lifting her head and attempting a kiss.

"Well," Shelby mused, tucking Rachel's head back underneath her chin, "perhaps now you'll listen to me when I tell you not to do that again."

Rachel poked out her bottom lip and huffed. "You're so mean…"

"Wasn't as easy as you thought it'd be, huh?" Shelby teased. She heard Rachel moan pitifully and kissed her temple. "It'll be gone in the morning. I promise. Just try to get some rest."

The girl nodded and tried to relax into her mother's touch, Shelby massaging loving circles into her stomach to help calm her. Still, sleep refused to come. If the soreness in her jaw and abdomen wasn't enough to keep her awake, the grungy musk between them definitely was.

"Okay," she said finally sitting upright, "I can't sleep like this. I feel… yucky."

Shelby yawned and rubbed her eyes. "You want me to give you a bath?"

Rachel peered over her shoulder with a playful smirk. "Take one with me?"

Shelby smiled and moved to sit up, scratching her head. There was no way in hell she'd be able to sleep anytime soon. "Alright."

Rachel took her hand and led her away. It was going to be a long night.

 **A/N: Strap-ons are a biiiiiiiiiiitch. HAD to update this one. It didn't look too good at first. I'll add on another story eventually.**

 **Comments always welcome.**


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